Fair and balanced? Um ... no

[Rupert Pupkin]

Here is a perfect example of media-bias. It is not a journalist's job to take sides. They are simply supposed to report the story. If I was writing a story about the "Truthers", I would report on how many of them there are and what they believe. I would not report my opinion as fact. I would not say, "The Truthers incorrcectly believe that Pres Bush had something to do with 9/11". I would say, "The Truthers believe that Pres Bush had something to with 9/11". I would not speculate on the accuracy of the belief.

Yet in this article from ABC News about Obama, this is exactly what ABC News does. It is totally inappropriate and it shows their obvious bias. They report people's beliefs as "wrong" and "incorrect".

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/franklin-gr...ry?id=11446462

[Danzig]

by the same token, i don't know why any news organization would discuss birthers or truthers at all. news is based on fact, opinion is not fact-so why would they bother with it? the news should report things of importance that happen, not whether people have an opinion of something. that would be better left to non-news shows that discuss happenings.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

Here is a perfect example of media-bias. It is not a journalist's job to take sides. They are simply supposed to report the story. If I was writing a story about the "Truthers", I would report on how many of them there are and what they believe. I would not report my opinion as fact. I would not say, "The Truthers incorrcectly believe that Pres Bush had something to do with 9/11". I would say, "The Truthers believe that Pres Bush had something to with 9/11". I would not speculate on the accuracy of the belief.

But when there is no credible evidence, don't you think it's the media's job to report that, too? Why do you think 20% of Americans falsely - yes, falsely - believe Obama is Muslim when he's beyond obviously Christian?

[Danzig]

i don't think it's beyond obvious that he's christian. i think what i read on slate is correct, that he's really not religious at all. i think it's all overdone anyway. i don't care who someone prays to, i just care which direction they lead this country. at the end of the day, what does it matter at all what religion he is? i said the same about romney, when people said they wouldn't vote for him because he's a mormon. so what!

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Danzig

at the end of the day, what does it matter at all what religion he is? i said the same about romney, when people said they wouldn't vote for him because he's a mormon. so what!

When the haters in this country are right now actively and aggressively ginning up hate for Muslims, yeah, I think it matters alot that some are spreading the lie that the President of the United States is Muslim.

And you are right about Romney, during the last election cycle it was spread with his name associated, that "Mormons are a polygamous cult!".

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

But when there is no credible evidence, don't you think it's the media's job to report that, too? Why do you think 20% of Americans falsely - yes, falsely - believe Obama is Muslim when he's beyond obviously Christian?

It's not because they're misinformed. I don't think any of these people think that Obama claims to be a Muslim. They know he claims to be a Christian. They don't believe him.

I'm sure plenty of these people saw Obama's interview with George Stephanapolous where Obama mentions "my Muslim faith". I know that Obama may have just misspoke but it could have been a "Fruedian Slip" too.

The guy's father was a Muslim. In addition, I don't think any true Christian would have gone to Jeremiah Wright's church for all those years.

Despite all of this, I still think there is a good chance that Obama is a Christian. If I had to bet on it, I would guess he's probably a Christian, but I'm certainly not confident about it. I can totally see why people would be skeptical and would suspect he's a Muslim.

If ABC News did a story about this site, they would probably say that people on this site "wrongly" and incorrectly" don't believe that Riot is a Republican.

[Riot]

It's not because they're misinformed. I don't think any of these people think that Obama claims to be a Muslim. They know he claims to be a Christian. They don't believe him.

People don't believe astronauts really walked on the moon. People believe the world was created from nothing 5,000 years ago.

Anyone can have and express an opinion. Go for it. But I don't expect responsible, professional journalists to conflate opinion with a news piece, let alone include the craziest, most unsupported and factually dismissed "opinions" in that news piece.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

It's not because they're misinformed. I don't think any of these people think that Obama claims to be a Muslim. They know he claims to be a Christian. They don't believe him.

Much as I think this is based mainly on wanting to get him out of office (by any means necessary,) I don't think it helped him to give a dinner marking the beginning of Ramadan. Unless there was some reason he was forced to do that, I think it was a dumb move. It fed right into the hands of people who think he's a hidden Moslem. Didn't help that he n' Hilary both threw the Armenians under the truck (to make the leader of Turkey happy.) They both promised (in Jan 2008) to get behind Armenian Genocide Recognition. When it came for vote in Congress, they both tried to keep Congressman from voting for it. Then what? It passed in the committee, and the Turk blamed Obama FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH. Welcome to Karma. People who try to satisfy Moslems (especially inbred Turks) are gunna get owned every time. You can't satisfy them. Now, you've got 3 problems that you've caused:

1) Twenty some odd % of Americans think you're actually a Moslem.

2) You lied about helping Armenian Americans.

3) Turks made an ass out of you. On this, you're just one of many American Presidents that got owned by them. Always seems that Presidents think they can satisfy these children. You can't satisfy 6 year olds for very long. Now, you know. You went against the Armenian Genocide Recognition, and they still voted against punishing the Iranians. That's called getting owned, sir. Should of stayed loyal to the people you promised to help, but you're no good. Your word means nothing, and neither does Hilary's. If I'm the Republican running against either of you 2 liars (in 2012,) I would never let up on the integrity issue. You've got zero.